Sheet-metal package



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. S. FELLOWS. SHEET METAL PACKAGE.

No. 568,477.- 4 Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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. SHEET METAL PACKAGE. 1%. 568,477. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIN S. FELLOIVS, OF MIDDLETOWVN, NEWV YORK.

SH El-IT-M ETAL PAC KAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,477, datedSeptember 29, 1896.-

Application filed March 21, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIN S. FELLOWS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-MetalPackages, of which the following is a specification sufficient to enableothers skilled in the artto which the invention appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to a metal can designed to be opened by looseningan end plate from the can-body by the severance of a stripping-sectionby means of a strip-winding key or otherwise. Heretofore the circuitousincision or weakening-line formed to facilitate the stripping operationhas merged into itself at some point in the circumference of the can,thereby insuring the complete detachment of the end plate at thecompletion of the strip ping operation.

A distinguishing feature of my present invention consists in the factthat my circuitous incision or reduced line of thickness does not mergeinto itself at any point, but overlaps itself at the ends, so that theportion of the strip between the overlapping line acts as a ligature orhinge by which the end plate remains attached to the can-body after theopening of the can, the extension of the incision or reduction inthickness completely around the circumference of the can enabling theend plate to be readily swung back clear of the end of the can-body togive access to the interior of the can. Thus, while ample provision ismade for opening and gaining access to the can-body, the end plate isretained and can be readily replaced over the end of the can-body toprotect the contents thereof temporarily, the ligament or unseveredportion of the strip readily yielding to pressure in either direction,while affording sufficient resistance to hold the end plate in eitherposition when undisturbed.

I am aware that a diagonal incision has been used in connection with anannular circumscribing incision made in a plane at right angles to theaxis of the can, but that construction is not the equivalent of myinvention, since in that case two distinct incisions are made, thediagonal incision intersecting the annular incision at an angle and theend Serial No. 542,616. (No model.)

plate being severed completely from the canbody by the strippingoperation, whereas in my invention the circuitous incision or reductionis a single continuous line, made at one operation, divergingcontinuously from a given plane and coiling obliquely around a zonecoinciding with the soldered joint by which the parts are held together,so that the stripping operation loosens but does not detach the endplate, but retains it for use as a temporary cover.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 16, inclusive, illustrate theapplication of my invention to the exterior flange of the end plate of acan; Figs. 17, 1S,- and 19, the same in connection with an end platehaving an inside flange, and Figs. 20, 21, and 22 the application of theinvention to the edge of the can-body. Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7., 10, 13, 14,

16, and 20 are elevations of portions of cans embodying my improvements.Figs. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 21 are axial sections of the same; Figs.8, 11, and 22, transverse sections, and Fig. 18 a view of a portion ofthe end of a can having an inside flange on the end plate.

Thus it will be seen that substantially the same results may be attainedby loosening a strip from either the flange of the end plate or theadjoining edge of the can-body when the end cap has an interior flange.

The line Ct Ct in all the figures represents a plane at right angles tothe axis of the can, above or beyond the zone .2, coinciding with thesoldered joint by which the can-body B and the end cap 0 are united.

't' represents the incision or reduction in thickness, and t the tongueat the end of the incision 11, forming an integral part of the strip tobe loosened to facilitate the operation of stripping, however performed,as by engagement with a rotatable strip-winding key 70, as indicated inFig. 14,, or otherwise. This tongue 25 is preferably, though notnecessarily,

formed by stamping out and bending the metal at the edge of the flangeor can-body, as the case may be, the circumferential incision 2' beingso made as to form a continuation of the cut or edge t, created by theformation of the tongue t.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the incision or circumscribing reduction inthickness is carried nearly twice around the flange f of the cap 0, andthe end plate 1) is loosened from the canbody B before the end of theincision is reached in stripping. In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 a similar resultis obtained by a shorter incision, owing to the width of the tongue 16shown therein.

The result of the stripping operation is to leave the end plate pslightly attached to the edge of the can-body at 1). Figs. 15 and 16show the use of a double spiral incision, in which case the end platewould remain attached to the portion Z) left by the strip.

Figs. 17, 18, and 19 show my circuitous ineisionor reduction inthickness as applied to an inner flange f of the end'plate p, and theremaining figures the same as applied to the edge or perimeter of thecan-body adjoining such inner flange. It will be seen that the sameresult is attained in all of the several forms and modifications shown,the circuitous incision or reduction in thickness coiling obliquelyaround the zone .2 and ending above or beyond the soldered joint bywhich the cap 0 and body B are secured together.

I thus by an incision made by a suitable tool at a singleoperationprovide for the open ing of the can in a safe and effectivemanner, since the strain necessary to effect the stripping is less thanheretofore, owing to the gradual crossing of the soldered joint and thecomparatively small portion of the width thereof severed at any onepoint in the zone .2. It will also be seen that in all cases the portionor strip between the line of incision, no matter what its length or howmuch more it may extend around the can-body beyond one circumferentialturn constitutes a conneeting-link between the can-body and end platethat is not entirely severed by the stripping operation, which onlyloosens the end plate from the can-body without disconnecting ittherefrom.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. A sheet-metal can formed with a continuous spiral incision orreduction in thickness extending obliquely over the soldered joint bywhich the end cap is secured to the canbody, said line of severancebeing of a length greater than the circumference of the can, the ends ofthe said line of severance overlapping each other but not merging intosaid line of severance at any point in the circumference of the can,substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A sheet-metal can formed with a continuous circuitous incision orreduction in thickness extending obliquely over the soldered joint bywhich the end cap is secured to the can-body, said line of severancebeing of a length greater than the circumference of the can, the ends ofsaid line of severance overlapping each other but not merging into theline of severance at any point in the circumference of the can, therebyleaving the strip between the line of severance attached to bothcan-body and end plate at the end of the stripping operation, so thatthe end plate is loosened from the can-body without being entirelydetached therefrom, substantially in the manner and for the purposedescribed.

OLIN S. FELLOXVS.

\Vitnesses GEORGE WILLIAM MIATT, D. W. GARDNER.

